A healthy diet is important for good health, and figuring out how much carbs, protein, and fat per day you are consuming is pertinent to the process. This is also because you need to keep your calories in check, whether you are gaining, cutting, or trying to maintain the same weight. These macros are essential when it comes to growth, development, and everyday energy.
In the same way you track your everyday intake, you have to track your macros as well. Let us now see how much carbs, protein, and fats per day you should consume.
The essentials: How much carbs, protein, and fat per day is needed?
Intake of these important macros will depend on whether you want to lose weight, gain weight, or maintain it. It will also depend on your body mass index (BMI) and your age.
Carbs are of two types
Simple carbs consist of various forms of sugar like fructose, which can be broken down and easily absorbed by the body. Therefore, they can offer us instant energy.
Meanwhile, complex carbs have larger molecules and have to be broken down so that they can be absorbed by the body. It takes more time to convert them into smaller molecules, but they provide energy and are beneficial in the long run.
You should get 45-65 % of your daily intake in the form of carbohydrates.
Decide on the right protein
They are essential because they help build and repair tissues. Also, this macronutrient assists in the production of hormones, antibodies, enzymes, and important molecules. It is not used for energy, but when the body gets less food, it goes into a state of ketosis, and protein is used up. That is why many individuals opt for a keto diet to detox themselves and lose weight.
Your daily calories should consist of 10-35 % of protein. Also, you can even count your daily protein intake by multiplying your body weight by 0.8 and having that many grams of protein.
People who want to cut should have more eggs or chicken to stop muscle loss. However, an excess amount is not good and can damage your kidneys.
A non-vegetarian can get protein from meat, eggs, or fish. If you eat veg, you can choose to have panner, soya, or tofu. You can also try protein bars or shakes if you think that the amount you are getting from your diet is not enough.
Keep your fat intake in check
Our body needs fats for energy and even growth and stores them to use when we run out of carbs and protein. They are like a power reserve for the human body, but excess of it can be harmful and cause obesity, block coronary arteries, and even damage organs. Therefore, we should always keep our fat intake in check.
There are three types of fat - mono-unsaturated, saturated, and polyunsaturated. Healthy sources of fat include fatty fish, nuts, and avocados, among others.
We should have a daily fat intake of 20-35% of the total number of calories we consume. Healthy fats should be included in the diet more frequently, and saturated ones should be limited.
Summing up
Your daily calorie intake should comprise:
- 20-35% fats
- 10-35 % protein consumption
- 45-65 % carbohydrates
If you are looking for a diet chart, you should consult a dietician to find out how much carbs, protein, and fats you should have per day and track your calories, with various applications available online.
Apart from your meals, you should consider exercising daily, having good sleep, and not falling into bad habits like drinking or smoking, if you want to live a healthy lifestyle.